My visit to South Korea was one of the wildest and most entertaining adventures of my life, and this collection of Korean travel photography is here to bring you at least a piece of that experience.
It may come as a surprise, but I never expected to stay in Korea for such a long time. However, the circumstances of the global pandemic that we all felt across the world had me calling Seoul my home for almost a year.
During that time, I had many adventures across the beautiful Korean landscape and its amazing cities. This Korean photography collection is a selection of my best works compiled during this unique time of my life. I hope you will enjoy the content and that it will inspire you to visit South Korea, and take your own Korean adventure.
South Korea - Points of interest that you must visit
There are many points of interest in South Korea that I highly recommend you to check out for yourself. These locations are some of the most wonderful places I’ve visited and have provided me with many great photo opportunities, which I am now sharing with you. In the rest of this blog, you will see some of my favorite pictures of South Korea. I hope you will enjoy them!
Jeju Island
Jeju island is one of the best places to take amazing photos of a varied South Korean landscape. There you will find everything from rocky shores to deep forests.
One of the highlights for me was the Haenyeo (해녀; lit. sea women). This is the name of the female divers who harvest a variety of mollusks, seaweed, and other sea life from the ocean. Their livelihoods represent the interesting, progressive family structure of Jeju. It is said that they are embodiments of iron will, independent spirit, and determination. You can read more about them in one of my previous posts.
Busan
Busan, Korea’s second-largest city, is a source of endless inspiration for photography. I just love the vibe of the city, its vibrant streets, tasty street food, friendly people, and cozy places such as the famous Gamcheon Culture Village.
Additional points of interest that you might enjoy as a traveler or a photographer are the Hwangnyeongan Mountain, which offers spectacular views of the city, and the Haedong Yonggung Temple located on the shore. I consider Busan as one of the key locations for building a gallery of Korean photos.
Gyeongju
Gyeongju should be on every tourist’s must-see list when planning a trip to Korea. The main reason for this is the vast number of architectural sites and cultural treasures that remain in the city. This coastal region was the capital of the ancient kingdom, Silla.
There are too many amazing places to list, so here are just a few of my favorites: Bulguska Buddhist Temple is a must-see if you enjoy traditional Korean temples, while Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond show the amazing quality of traditional Korean architecture. Unique to this location are the royal tombs, which gave it the nickname “City of Royal Mounds”. Your Korean photography gallery would not be complete without photographs from Gyeongju. You can see more of Gyeongju here!
Jeonju
Originally I hadn’t planned on visiting Jeonju but my Korean language classmates convinced me otherwise, and I have to thank them for that. That trip was totally intriguing, from exploring temples, hiking up the hills, and just wandering around the historic streets, it was all unforgettable.
This is where I took some of the most beautiful pictures of South Korea. Walking Jeonju in colorful hanbok, that is traditional Korean costume, and finding the wall paintings in Jamal Mural Village are a must. I highly recommend you check it out.
What places I enjoyed the most as a photographer in Seoul
When you mention Korea to most people, the first thing they think about is Seoul. I have to admit it was the same for me before I actually traveled there and discovered all the incredible things this country has to offer.
But despite all of that, Seoul is still the best destination if you want to experience most of what Korea has to offer. From big modern buildings to ancient temples and traditional villages, Seoul has it all. Truly a paradise for anyone looking to make a nice Seoul travel photography gallery.
I’ve taken many photographs of the various points of interest in this city, but here is some information about my favorite ones.
Gyeongbokgung Palace
When I asked my friend who is a vacation photographer in Seoul which parts of the city he finds most interesting to photograph, he always mentions the Gyeongbokgung Palace first. And I am pretty sure that when you see the images of this structure you will understand why.
Gyeongbokgung Palace was originally built in 1395 and was the main royal palace of the Joseon dynasty. It is the largest of all five palaces in Seoul and arguably the most beautiful.
Bukchon Hanok Village
Bukchon Hanok Village is an iconic place where people take some of their most memorable South Korea images. The tiny alleys and cozy traditional homes make for a perfect setting to capture the beauty and simplicity of village life. It is located on a hill between Gyeongbok Palace, Changdeok Palace, and Jongmyo Royal Shrine.
I was fascinated by these traditional hanok homes when I first arrived in Seoul, so I spent time when I could wandering this 600-year-old urban environment.
N Seoul Tower
A true icon of Seoul, the N Seoul Tower is a communication and observation tower visible from many parts of the city. It reminded me of a lighthouse guiding me as I traveled through the city. The N Seoul Tower is located on Namsan Mountain in central Seoul and is 236 meters tall.
As those of you who follow me on Instagram may have noticed, it marks an essential part of my Korean Travel photography gallery.
Tips for Korean Landscape Photography
All of these South Korean points of interest as well as the amazing cities in the country are great for every Korean photography fan. However, don’t be so distracted by them that you forget to take some time and explore the less-known parts of the countryside and enjoy the breathtaking Korean landscape.
In truth, this is the best tip I can give you on how to build your Korean landscape photography gallery. Just rent a car, and set off in one direction. You will surely discover many hidden gems and take plenty of stunning photos.
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All of these places look breathtaking! Korea is definitely my dream destination!
Hey Josip! Thanks for a leaving a comment. I surely hope you can visit South Korea and explore all of it’s beautiful destinations once the pandemic is over. Cheers, Shea
I would love to experience South Korea as a tourist one day. Beautiful pictures Shea!
Pretty awesome adventures. Working in South Korea as a photography would be my dream job.
Well written 🙂 Amazing places and stunning photos 🙂 I think that the Namsan Tower will be my lighthouse too 🙂 Greetings 😉 aw
Have you ever considered displaying your photographs from Korea in a gallery?
Surely, I do hope one day to have my photographs of South Korea featured as fine art prints in a gallery setting. Any recommendation on which galleries may be appropriate for my work?
Bravo, excellent photographs. You’re pretty good at what you do.
Appreciate that James and super excited to hear you felt the photographs of South Korea were excellent.
Terrific photographs of South Korea.
Thanks so much Vanessa! Happy to hear you enjoyed my photographs from South Korea.
Korean travel photography is one of my favorite things to search for in my free time. I hope to visit Korea one day after the pandemic. Really enjoyed seeing your post.
Hey Floyd, thanks for checking out my blog post on South Korea travel photography and glad you enjoyed seeing the images.
In my opinion you are mistaken about some of the locations, but your pictures of South Korea are beautiful.
Glad you liked my photos of South Korea, thanks Daniel.
Very nice post about Korea, and very nice photographs.
Really appreciate your kind words William, thank you. Photographing in South Korea was an incredible experience for me!
What is your favorite location to photograph in Korea? Is it safe to travel there too?
Hey Miclaf, yes, South Korea is a very safe place for photography. There are no worries, even in the middle of the night. I really loved Jeju Island as a South Korean photography destination, and would make sure you visit there one day.
Tell to me, please – how much time have you spent photographing in South Korea to collect this many images?
Hey Jeffrey! I lived in South Korea for just over 6 months, and loved every second of it. I tried to shoot pictures every single day :)))
Cool photographs of Korea, especially the ones from Jeju Island with the female fishers.
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